The web-log of a duck-herding author.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

She Lives!

You may think I am speaking of myself, and while coincidentally that's true, I actually speak - no rejoice in the rising from the dead of my dear friend and favorite writer - the Inkscratcher, herself! - R.M. Whitaker. This dear woman is a dear friend with a talent that I can only dream of achieving. To give you an idea of how rad this woman is - her hobby writing in high school had other writers asking if they could buy her stories so they could publish them. Pretty rockin' awesome.

Well, my dear friend has been on something of a writing hiatus. She's been off gallivanting the world, doing good, living life and rockin' it all. While I've been impressed, proud and happy for her, I could practically giggle with delight to know that she is warming up her fingers again, and spreading her delicious talent in print form. I absolutely recommend you go and meet her. Click and say hi!

Needless to say, her resurrection post inspired me to climb out of my earthy tomb as well. You see - I could use some help and there is no better place to go than my dear IWSG. You see, divine inspiration - that only sometimes gentle but always correct "nudger" - came to me a couple months ago, smiled kindly and pushed me with not a bit of sheepishness right out of one project and back into another.

Last I spoke here on the interwebs I was working on writing Book 2 (working title Disbanded). I worked on it through fall continuously, if slowly. My determination was firm and I happily finished POV one, and had moved onto POV 2. I got miserably stuck, but Determination kept me hitting my head against the book cover trying to knock works out of my noggin and onto the page. Then came that smiling "nudger".

I can't deny that it was something a relief, when I got that distinct impression sending me back to start edits of Book 1 (working title Unbanded). However, I didn't realize just what I was getting myself into. I'm being humbled and discovering that revision is hard. I feel like I'm working at a snails pace. I'd naturally hoped that much of my book (because of my obviously and overwhelming talent *now hangs head in shame*) would need good edits, but not necessarily HUMONGOUS re-writes. I admit this with gratitude that I can hide on this side of my screen from the amused "I could have told you that" expressions that you experienced folks have every write to smile my way.

Because here I am, barely into my book and re-writing most of what is there. It's both exciting and exhausting. I'm making it better than I could have hoped in some cases, but also suffering through the re-positioning and re-filming with my author-cam.

So, while in my meeker state I want to know what you know - or rather:

What do you wish you'd known before your first major revision? What did you not do the first time you revised that you have never forgotten to do again because it's that freakin' amazing? What did you do that first time that you will never do again? Send me your expertise!

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comments:

Hi DVS! I'm visiting from the IWSG ~ Cheers to you for your finished drafts ~ I'm still struggling with my first draft of my first book manuscript. So I really can't answer your questions. I actually enjoy rewriting ~ at least in my shorter pieces. Even my blog posts have me "trying to knock words out of my noggin" and onto the screen. One thing I always do is to carefully check spell-checker and auto-correct for grammar and usage ~ they drive me crazy because they can be so wrong! And I have certain mantras: Strong verbs, precise nouns. Show, don't tell. Cut! Cut! Cut! Happy writing!

This is my third attempt at posting a comment here. Fingers crossed that it'll work this time!Wow, I feel so honored to have earned two whole paragraphs in your wonderful blog! Thank you, my dear friend. You ought to know how much you inspire me. Your consistency in the writing world has inspired my wayward soul to return.That said, I hear ya 100%, the revision process is turning out to be a much bigger project than I'd anticipated. *Deep breath* We can do this. We can do this!